John Chivington
| John M. Chivington | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
January 27, 1821 Lebanon, Ohio |
| Died | October 4, 1894 (aged 73) Denver, Colorado |
| Place of burial | Fairmount Cemetery, Denver, Colorado |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch |
United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1864 |
| Rank |
 Colonel
|
| Commands held |
1st Colorado Infantry 1st Colorado Cavalry 3rd Colorado Cavalry |
| Battles/wars | |
| Other work | Methodist preacher |
John Milton Chivington (January 27, 1821 – October 4, 1894) was a former Methodist pastor who served as colonel in the United States Volunteers during the Colorado War and the New Mexico Campaigns of the American Civil War. In 1862, he was in the Battle of Glorieta Pass against a Confederate supply train.
Chivington gained infamy for leading a 700-man force of Colorado Territory militia during the massacre at Sand Creek in November 1864. An estimated 70–163 peaceful Cheyenne and Arapaho – about two-thirds of whom were women, children, and infants – were killed and mutilated by his troops. Chivington and his men took scalps and other body parts as battle trophies, including human fetuses and male and female genitalia.
The Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War conducted an investigation of the massacre, but while they condemned Chivington's and his soldiers' conduct in the strongest possible terms, no criminal charges were brought against him or them. The closest thing to a punishment Chivington suffered was the effective end of his political aspirations.
Three years prior to Sand Creek, on August 2nd, 1861, he became the first Grand Master of Masons of Colorado. Several Freemasons present (and not present) at the Sand Creek Massacre objected to Chivington's actions and publicly denounced his actions, while others supported him. Officially, the Masons in Colorado suspended Chivington until the report from Congress, after which his membership was reinstated. The Freemasons, including Chivington and the first Governor, John Evans, were instrumental in pressing for Colorado statehood.
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